Attendance

We are proud of our good attendance rates and these are reported in our weekly newsletter, sent to all parents/carers. Congratulations to those pupils who achieved 100% attendance.

We believe that children can reach their full potential only be receiving full-time education, through regular and structured attendance. All staff are concerned for the children's welfare and happiness and everyone plays a part in promoting regular attendance among the pupils. Cardwell Primary School expects all pupils to arrive and leave school punctually and we emphasise this to parents.

Please notify the school in writing or by telephone if your child is absent or late for school. There is an answer phone machine in the main office so a message can be left at any time. Child who arrive late to school must report to the main reception.

We will follow up any unexplained absence or lateness with a phone call and/or a letter. Punctuality and absences are regularly monitored by the Attendance Advisory Service. School attendance is a legal requirement which is enforced by Royal Borough of Greenwich.

When a child is obviously unwell, the best place to be is at home with an adult. A sick child will be very unhappy at school and unable to cope with schoolwork. If the illness is infectious, other children and teachers may also become ill, so the child must be kept at home.

Should your child have an infectious illness, tell us as soon as the doctor has confirmed this.

If your child needs to leave school during the day, please let us know in writing. Unless we have contact from the parent, the child will not be allowed to leave the school premises.

Please note:

The local authority are monitoring unauthorised absence

Holidays must not be taken during school term time

The Executive Headteacher can only authorise certain absences in cases of absolute emergency.

Time out for family holidays - see our Attendance Policy for more information

The school will not authorise any time out for family holidays. Only at the discretion of the school and in exceptional circumstances, may leave be granted but parents must put their request in writing on the term time absence form. If the absence is for an extended period, the school may seek to off-roll the pupil and the parents will need to apply for re-admittance to the school.

Doctors/ dentist appointments are not absences unless the child misses the whole session. Please ask the service to give you an appointment at the beginning or end of the day so your child can attend school before or after the appointment.

A child who has a medical/dental appointment and then comes to school later, can be credited with an attendance for the whole session provided they have attended at the first possible opportunity - this is acceptable lateness. The situation is the same for children who leave school after registration for a good reason such as illness or to attend a medical appointment.

Authorisation for absence for religious purposes will be considered on request. The special circumstances code is to be used at the discretion of the school, e.g. death in the family, moving house etc. All requests for absence must be discussed with the Head of School or the Executive Headteacher before authorisation.

For further information please view the full Attendance Policy

The Appendices on the policy include:

Request for absence during term time

Term time absence leaflet

Attendance agreement with parents

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Contact Us

Cardwell Primary School
Frances Street, Woolwich, London, SE18 5LP

T: 020 8854 1051 • F: 020 8854 6060
E-Mail: Mrs Mandy Butler (Office Manager) sao@cardwell.greenwich.sch.uk
Paper copies of all the information from the school website are available free of charge from the school office.